Oocyte Growth in Vitro: Potential Model for Studies of Oocyte-granulosa Cell Interactions

Overview

Journal Reprod Med Biol

Specialty Biology

Date 2018 Apr 28

PMID 29699101

Citations 7

Authors

Yuji Hirao

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Various factors such as gonadotrophins, growth factors, and steroid hormones play important roles in the regulation of oocyte/follicular growth in mammalian ovaries. In addition to these factors, there is a bidirectional interaction between oocytes and granulosa cells that is essential for achieving optimal oocyte developmental competence. Oocytes play a key role in this interaction by secreting paracrine factors that alter the activities of neighboring cumulus cells, such as the expression of a specific amino acid transporter, cholesterol biosynthesis, and levels of glycolysis in the cumulus cells. Among the known oocyte-derived factors, growth differentiation factor 9 (GDF9) is the dominant factor mediating the regulation by oocytes leading to cumulus expansion and granulosa cell proliferation. GDF9 frequently interacts with other oocyte-derived factors in a synergistic manner. It seems reasonable to speculate that oocytes growing in vitro require interactions similar to those in vivo. Some of the oocyte-mediated regulations have been confirmed in vitro, providing evidence of the usefulness of culture systems as a strong tool for such studies. This review discusses in vitro culture of growing oocytes in terms of oocyte-granulosa cell interactions.

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